Emmitsburg, Md. (April 14, 2021)—Mount St. Mary's rallied from a five-run deficit to highlight a split of Wednesday afternoon's Northeast Conference doubleheader against visiting Saint Francis U.  In the second game, Saint Francis scored six times in the top of the eighth inning to break a scoreless tie in a 6-0 win to earn the split.

In the opening game, Vanessa Martin provided the heroics with an RBI single to score the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning in the Mount's 6-5 victory.  Martin's walk-off hit capped the Mount's rally from a 5-0 deficit in the game.

The Red Flash (29-8, 14-2 NEC) scored in each of the first four innings to build a 5-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.  Jordy Frank's two-run homer in the third was the big hit while Lexi Hernandez had an RBI single in the fourth to put Saint Francis up, 5-0.

The Mountaineers started their rally with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.  Abigayle Perry walked to open the frame, and Kaia Bonshock followed with a single just over the head of Saint Francis shortstop Jordan Pietrzykoski.  Pietrzkoski attempted to get Perry out at second on the play, but her throw went into right field, allowing Perry to score and Bonshock to move all the way to third on the play.  Tori Bowles followed with a sharp single just inside the left field line to cut the deficit to 5-2.

Mount St. Mary's (13-22, 6-11 NEC) added two more runs in the fifth to make it a one-run game.  Kassidy Johnson pinch hit to lead off the inning, and singled to shortstop.  Maggie Kane came in to run, and she moved to second on Mariah Godde's sacrifice bunt.  Kaylee Stoner's single up the middle scored Kane with Stoner moving to second on the throw to the plate.  Perry then grounded to the pitcher, but Stoner was able to slide home under the tag to make it 5-4.  Bonshock followed with a double and Bowles walked to load the bases with one out.  SFU starter Grace Vesco was able to escape further damage with a fielder's choice to third base with SFU getting the lead runner at home, and a strikeout.

Amanda Berkley came on in relief for the Mount in the top of the sixth, and kept the Red Flash in check by retiring all six batters she faced, setting up the exciting finish in the bottom of the seventh.
Perry singled to left to open the seventh, and Bonshock followed with to left field that scored Perry all the way from first to tie the score.  After a groundout, Martin singled up the middle to plate Zoe Wilcox, who pinch ran for Bonshock, with the winning run.

Bonshock finished the opening game 3-for-3 at the plate while Perry was 1-for-3 with two runs scored.  Amaya Bowman started for the Mount, allowing four runs in three innings.  Elizabeth King pitched the next two innings, allowing one run before Berkley picked up the win with her two scoreless innings of relief.

The second game was a pitcher's duel with the game going to extra innings in a scoreless tie.  The Red Flash scored six times in the top of the eighth to break the game open and secure a split in the twinbill with the 6-0 win.

Berkley started for the Mount, and pitched seven scoreless innings before the Red Flash finally solved her in the top of the eighth.  Berkley got out of a bases loaded, one-out jam in the third while she stranded a pair of runners in the fourth as well. 

The Mount had a great chance to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth against SFU pitcher Rachel Marsden.  Godde was hit by a pitch to start the inning.  Stoner was called on to bunt, and she reached base when the catcher's throw to first hit her, allowing Godde to advance to third on the play.  Stoner then stole second to put runners on second and third with no outs.  The Red Flash got the next two outs with plays at the plate to keep the Mount off the scoreboard.  The first out came when Perry bunted in a squeeze attempt, but Godde was out at the plate on a nice play by third baseman Mekenzie Saban.  Bonshock then grounded to short and Stoner attempted to score, but she was out at the plate as well.  Marsden got a strikeout to end the threat.

SFU broke the game open with six runs in the eighth, finally solving Berkley, who had pitched nine consecutive scoreless innings.  After a groundout, Allyn Bezjak singled off the center field fench, and Tayven Rousseau walked.  Brekley then got the lead runner at third on a grounder back to her for the second out.  Sydney Baker was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Brittney Crawford hit a hard grounder off Berkley for an infield hit to bring home the first run of the game.  Madeline Barnes walked to force home the second run, and Saban doubled off the left-center field fence to bring home two more runs.  Pietrzykoski and Lexi Hernandez closed out the scoring with RBI singles.

The Mount returns to action this weekend with a four-game series at Wagner on April 17-18.